Srinagar, August 18: Calling upon New Delhi to display the confidence, maturity and understanding of a large and strong democracy, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed expressed regret that in case of Kashmir only the insecurity fanned by the hawks were scripting its policies.
In a statement issued here this afternoon, he also expressed his deep anguish at the present crisis in the valley that was taking a heavy toll in ”unbridled use of force by the state government.” Mr Sayeed, patron of main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said the death of yet another person of Anantnag, Mohammad Abass Dhobi indicated how callously the situation was being treated.
Condoling the loss to the family, he said, the government had failed to curb its forces and the unkept promise of action against the guilty troopers had only resulted in more tragedies.
Referring to what he called the non-serious attitude of New Delhi towards the crisis in Kashmir, he reiterated his view that the problem would not disappear without actually resolving it.
Trying to push the issue under the carpet in the hope of getting rid of it had cost the whole region its peace and Kashmir has had to pay the heaviest price, he said.
He said it was unfortunate that the cries of pain from the state had failed to evoke a response from the national leadership which was still in the mode of denial and strong arm methods and added these methods had only further aggravated the problem.
On the recent statements of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the current crisis, Mr Sayeed said it was sad listening to the Prime Minister virtually negating from Red Fort what he himself had set out to do in his televised address only a few days before that.
”How can conditions be set for any kind of dialogue as the Prime minister seemed to be doing, if a solution is to be sought between diametrically opposite positions through mutual discussions,” he wondered.
He said the dialogue has to be unconditional and has to engage all opinions, more importantly with those who question the status quo.
–UNI